Tom Wyrwich of The Seattle Times writes about high school football players who sustain repeated concussions and suffer from a rare condition – almost unheard of in adults – called second-impact syndrome. Some players attempt to hide the symptoms of a concussion to keep playing. In addition, a shortage of certified athletic trainers leaves coaches to make medical decisions about whether players should return to the game.
AHCJ has compiled some relevant resources and stories for other reporters interested in writing about concussions in young athletes.
- Teaming Up to Protect Young Athletes: Learn to Prevent & Recognize Concussions (Sept. 15, 2008, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- CDC Tool Kit on Concussion for high school coaches
- Concussion in Sports (American Academy of Family Physicians). Also available in Spanish.
- Post-Concussion Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Study Examines Activity Levels of High School Students After Sports-Related Concussions (National Athletic Trainers' Association)
- Heads Up: Concussion in High School Sports (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also available in Spanish
- Concussions Among United States High School and Collegiate Athletes, Journal of Athletic Training, v. 42; Oct.-Dec. 2007
- Journal articles about sports-related concussions and children
- The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research collects and disseminates death and permanent disability sports injury data that involve brain and/or spinal cord injuries.
- NCAA Injury Surveillance System
Related stories
- High school players at risk of 'second-impact syndrome'
- Football players hide concussions; increasing risk of injury, death
- Athletes to donate brains to concussion research
- Former NFL players may get help for dementia
- Former NFL players still taking hits
- NFL's concussions expert sells equipment to league
Additional concussion resources
- Find concussion services and experts in your area with Go Local, a service for finding local resources for health-related issues.
- Brain Injury Association
- MedlinePlus
- Journal articles about concussions
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons
